Featured Story

Upgrade Wish List: Nifty Lube

WD-40 No-Mess Pens ($4) should be in every drawer, in every room, and possibly every shirt pocket. The absorbent tip is coated with WD-40 when pressed down, so you can quickly lube a creaky door hinge or remove shoe scuff marks. And it doesn’t dry out if left un...

Previous Workshop Stories

Out of the Box: Sunbeam Rocket Grill Popular Mechanics tests Sunbeam's newest kitchen gadget, the Rocket Grill.
Slideshow: The Most Extreme Pumpkin Carve-Off Ever
Build Your Own Backyard Smoker Real barbecue involves cooking tougher, fattier cuts of meat like pork butt and beef brisket over a duration of 4 to 6 hours or longer at temperatures near the boiling point of water. The payoff: tough meat becomes flavorful and succulent, fat is rendered out and the low, smoky fire leaves the aroma... (Published in the August 2006 issue)
Build a Pergola That's Perfect For Your Backyard Here's a structure that won't provide shelter from wind or rain, and is only marginally better when it comes to the midday sun. So, why build it? Because in the absence of walls and a roof, it defines an outdoor space without constraining it. It's a unique architectural blend that places you both in... (Published in the August 2006 issue)
Build A Backyard Smoker: Pictures, Diagrams and Video
PM Classics: Simple Do-It-Yourself Weekend Projects - Toolbox For generations, tradesmen of all persuasions have been banging together simple wooden boxes for their gear. Long and narrow for easy carrying, these toolboxes were little more than five boards and a heavy dowel handle. They were the ultimate in utility--and they're just as handy now, whether you we... (Published in the March 2006 issue)
Power Sander Comparison Test There's only one reason to buy a power sander: It's a whole lot faster than doing the job by hand. How fast? We wondered, too. So we assembled the three basic types--orbital, random-orbit and belt--for a race to the finish. (Published in the January 2006 issue)
Meet The MythBusters On MythBusters, our Discovery Channel show, we conduct scientific experiments to determine the truth of tall tales and urban legends. Here's one example: The story goes that an Air Force sergeant in Arizona attached a jet-assisted take off bottle--a military-grade auxiliary rocket used to generate e... (Published in the January 2006 issue)
Comparison Test - 9 Jigsaws (Published in the August 2005 issue)
PM Comparison Test: 5 Bench Grinders (Published in the December 2004 issue)
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Upgrade

Gear of the Year: PM's Annual Wishlist

Check out our guide to the 31 best tools, gadgets, games, cameras and appliances that you can give, receive or just plain salivate over this year.

Lawn Care

Natural Lawn Care

Natural lawn care used to be a novelty. Now it includes effective techniques for any gardener's arsenal of tricks.

Reviews

The Boy Mechanic

Culled from a half-century of Popular Mechanics issues (make that the first half of last century), The Boy Mechanic represents an age when imagination could conquer far more than the checkbook — when solving a problem was more satisfying than paying to have it go away.